MCMC steps up monitoring of fake news in run-up to GE14

Kuala Lumpur – The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is intensifying monitoring the dissemination of fake and slanderous news against the government in the run-up to the 14th general election (GE14), said Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Jailani Johari.

He urged the public to lodge reports should they come across news reports which were fake and defamatory in nature, saying that action under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act could be taken against those responsible.

He said the public should exercise self-control and be responsible when using the social media.

“The government has spent a lot to bridge the digital divide. Having access to the Internet is easy because most of the infrastructure have been provided by the government.

“Now, access to the Internet is easy and cheap, but it is abused by some people to viral defamatory and offensive postings,” he told Bernama during a visit to the news agency’s operations centre at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).

Jailani said MCMC would act as the ‘technical expert’ and assist the government, as well as other relevant quarters, if there were complaints.

Prior to this, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said about 20 million Malaysians were active on the social media and they should not belief everything that was uploaded on the Internet.

He also regarded dissemination of fake news as a threat to democracy. – Bernama